Liverpool route to Champions League final after beating Galatasaray in last-16

In partnership with

Evening Standard

·19 Maret 2026

Liverpool route to Champions League final after beating Galatasaray in last-16

Reds are on the tough side of the knockout stage draw

Liverpool have progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals after overcoming Galatasaray in the last-16.

Video OneFootball

Liverpool trailed going into the second leg after losing 1-0 in Istanbul, but produced one of their best performances of the season at Anfield to secure a 4-1 aggregate win.

Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring before Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah netted after the break to ensure the Reds avoided an early exit from Europe’s premier club competition.

Under the new format, which was introduced last season, Liverpool’s potential route to this season’s Champions League final has already been mapped out.

Liverpool will face holders Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-final, thus offering Arne Slot’s side a shot at revenge after last season’s defeat on penalties in the round of 16.

PSG have already beaten one Premier League side this season, thumping Chelsea 8-2 on aggregate to set up a rematch with the Reds in early April.

The reigning champions of Europe could, though, be without Bradley Barcola for the first leg at the Parc des Princes on April 8 because of injury.

As was the case just over a year ago when facing PSG, Liverpool will have the advantage of playing the second leg of their quarter-final at Anfield due to their top-three finish in the league phase.

Liverpool are into yet another European quarter-final

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

However, if the Reds get past PSG they will not have home advantage in the semi-final second leg against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, due to the latter finishing second in the league phase.

Bayern made light work of Atalanta in the last-16, winning 10-2 on aggregate. Meanwhile, Madrid beat Manchester City home and away, proving they can never be discounted in the Champions League regardless of how their season is going.

Should both Liverpool and Los Blancos progress then Trent Alexander-Arnold will face a second return to Anfield following his move last summer.

Arsenal, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Sporting CP make up the other side of the Champions League path, with the Gunners, arguably, currently the strongest of those teams.

That could leave Liverpool facing Arsenal in an all-English Champions League final in Budapest on May 30, and Slot has not lost to Mikel Arteta in four meetings.

Quarter-finals: PSG

Final: Arsenal